Dark wood flooring is a trendy and successful design technique that creates a modern and stylish atmosphere. However, everything does not always work out perfectly: excessively dark shades visually compress the space, small rooms risk appearing cramped and uncomfortable, and you have to clean it more often because every speck of dust is noticeable on dark wood.
However, do not give up the idea of decorating the floor with dark hardwood flooring if this idea has long been very tempting to you. In fact, all the disadvantages mentioned above are relatively easy to correct with a rug. The suitable textiles will help you find the perfect balance between flooring and furnishings and will be the finishing touch without which a stylish interior would seem incomplete. That is why it makes sense to thoroughly delve into the peculiarities of choosing a rug for a dark wood surface.
Dark wood floor: popular colors
Most often, floors are made of hardwood – popular varieties of oak, mahogany, maple. Various processing techniques and the use of tinting and coloring compositions and varnishes allow you to give the floor covering a wide variety of shades. Among the most popular are:
You can apply wallpapers, paints, etc. on walls and see how they look in various interiors.
Rug for a dark floor: selection rules
The variety of carpets and rugs is breathtaking today. Large and luxurious, soft and charming, colorful and monochromatic, with lush oriental patterns and trendy geometric patterns, factory-made and handmade – if you set out to find a suitable rug for a dark floor in your living room or bedroom, then you can be sure that somewhere there is definitely an accessory that fits your idea perfectly. To not spend too much time looking for the rug of your dreams, we suggest narrowing your search and taking advantage of designers’ advice, which will help you decide much faster.
A light rug on the dark floor – one hundred percent hit
If you don’t know what kind of carpet to choose for a dark base, take a light one – and you won’t be mistaken. Indeed, in contrast to the wooden texture and dark gray, black and brown, such accessories work the most natural miracles: the light rugs provide competent zoning, allow you to demonstrate your excellent taste, and in combination with light furniture, you get a balanced palette. If you want the perfect match, you can match your rug to the tone of your armchairs, sofa, or headboard – or experiment with floor textiles a little lighter or darker.
Don’t be afraid of bright colors
Do not think that the choice of rug color for a dark wood floor is limited only to white, beige, and light gray tones. If the orientation of the interior allows, then why not use textiles like a bright splash? Rich and expressive shades add personality and help draw attention to a specific area in the living room. In this case, it is essential to decide on the size: the smaller the room’s area, the more modest in size the accessory you choose should be.
You can also try to find a patterned rug that combines light tones that match the furniture with bright tones. Such a solution is very creative and requires a certain amount of time to search. However, it is worth it because to bring the entire interior palette to a common denominator in such a simple and elegant way means to show a sense of style to an excellent degree.
Dark on dark? It’s worth the risk!
We have already said that a light carpet is the best solution for a dark floor. However, this statement should not be taken as an axiom, and if you would still prefer dark rugs, you can easily afford such a decision. For this, it is enough to take into account just a few rules:
Take your time to select textures
We have already said that the carpet’s texture allows you to make the interior more refined, individual, and harmonious, regardless of the color scheme you choose. Today you can give preference to the following types of accessories:
If you doubt when choosing a rug for a dark floor, you can easily take it home and visually evaluate the compatibility. As a rule, sellers are willing to meet such requests, and today you can “try on” not only a small rug but also a large rug.
Dark wood floor: choose a carpet by style
Dark wood floors are not typical for all interior styles. Still, suppose the design of your living room, bedroom, or dining room allows the installation of such flooring. In that case, it is quite logical that you need to focus not only on the shade of wood flooring and the color scheme of furniture, but also on design. Let’s figure out how to choose a carpet for such a floor, depending on the room’s design.
Classic style
Traditional classics very rarely do without carpets – and the color of the flooring does not really matter. Dark floors in classic designs are usually made of bog oak or wenge hardwood flooring.
The most popular solution for such interiors are rugs with high or medium dense piles in a rectangle, square or oval shape. Also, you can distinguish them by a rich palette and famous oriental ornaments that look rich on dark wood surfaces. So, the most renowned carpet patterns designs are:
Neoclassical
The dark wood flooring enhances the elegance of the neoclassical interior. A rug with a beautiful geometric pattern formed by straight and zigzag lines, waves or spirals, or plain fluffy carpets can be a good addition. With the choice of shades, everything is effortless – pay attention to the following:
Modern
A dark floor in a modern style is usually hardwood, engineered wood, as well as laminate and vinyl flooring. Depending on your mood and design project, you can choose the following types of rugs:
As for the rug color, in a modern interior, you have at your disposal almost the entire palette – from snow-white and beige to mustard yellow, emerald, and scarlet.
Rustic
A rustic floor is a rough, dark wood plank, often with a brushed effect. A small patchwork rug, a natural-tinted jute accessory, or an imitation animal hide will accentuate the naturalness and ease of your living room.
Industrial
A style for which a dark floor is one of the characteristic features. Hardwood or engineered wood painted with black lacquer – such floorings allow you to achieve the desired industrial atmosphere. And the best warming accent for such a living room will be a low-pile rug without a pattern with a worn effect, an accessory with a floral ornament from the past, or an accent rug with an imitation – animal skin, woodcut, or stone texture.
Ethnic
Ethnic styles suggest flooring made from aged wood that has darkened with time. Wicker rugs and mats made of natural materials – jute, sisal, or bamboo – will be an excellent addition for them.
Carpet for dark wood floors: Conclusions + Photo Gallery
Dark wood floors are a combination of austerity, nobility, and a pleasant natural texture. A correctly matched rug to the floor will not only help create a warm and cozy atmosphere but will also make the interior balanced both in terms of color and texture.